Jerry Lanson, a writing coach and columnist, has taught journalism at seven colleges and universities. In January 1998, he joined the faculty of Emerson College as chair of its Department of Journalism and Public Information. He has also taught on the journalism faculties of Syracuse University, San Francisco State University, New York University, and Boston University. Lanson is a former reporter for The (Bergen County, NJ) Record and a former deputy city editor and bureau chief of the San Jose (California) Mercury News. This is his second textbook. His honors include a National Teaching Award from the Poynter Institute for Media Studies. Barbara Croll Fought, an Associate Professor in the broadcast journalism department of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University, and a lawyer, has specialized in the areas of Internet research and public access to government documents. She teaches communications law as well as broadcast journalism classes. She is a former news researcher and special projects producer for WDIV-TV, Detroit, where she earned nine Emmy Awards. In 1995, students at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications chose her as Professor of the Year.